I had spotted them in a field in Someren (NL) two years ago, but I couldn’t get close enough to identify them. Yes, I do own a hefty pair of binoculars, but they always stay at home—after all, how much gear can one person lug around?

They spotted me from afar, and one took flight, circling noisily around me. Once I’d hidden in the ditch for a while, things quieted down, and the bird landed back at the exact spot where it had taken off. I suspect there’s a clutch of eggs there, or perhaps even chicks. In any case, it was right in the middle of a cultivated field—so it wouldn’t be great for the animals or the farmer if I went marching in there—though I *was* nearly run over by a quad bike as I climbed out of the ditch. Ultimately, it’s all a matter of getting used to things, and in my case, a question of needing more focal length and/or higher resolution. Teleconverter… yes, pleasexq.

It was great to find them in the same spot after two years; I counted at least six to eight birds in the area. According to Wikipedia, they’ve been on the Red List since 2015!

P.S.: I’m pretty sure that thing coming down in one of the shots is a blade of grass, not the “other thing.” 😉